Shootin' the Breeze

New Blog-Check it out!!!

2009-08-14T13:03:00.002-05:00

Well, it's a little late for spring cleaning but I've been trying to work on my blog here and there and it's finally ready. Check it out: NEW BLOG

Next up is a much needed updating of the website...

Back from Maternity Leave

2009-06-17T08:08:00.006-05:00

Well, welcome to my horribly neglected blog! Oye! It's been a while! My only excuse is that it was such a busy autumn and winter that being pregnant on top of that, it was all I could do to just keep up. I hope you'll forgive me if I share some photos from my new little man's newborn session. (Well, little isn't quite accurate. He came into the world at 8 lbs. 15 oz. Yikes!!) I'd like you to meet Gabriel...

So I am back now!! Drop me an email or give me a call to book your summer sessions!! Be advised that I will be able to answer emails WAY quicker than phone calls as I don't need to wait for a rare quiet moment to answer an email. :)

A little Halloween fun

2008-10-23T23:50:00.004-05:00

Need something fun to do with the kids Saturday? Bring them over to Annmarie Garden for their annual Halloween in the Garden! For more information go here: http://www.annmariegarden.org/Events/Halloween/index.htm Get them all dressed up for a super fun day of trick-or-treating and other spooky activities. For the second year, I will be there passing out treats as well. Current clients who stop by and say hi will receive an extra special treat. Moms and Dads, be sure to say hi please! Last year I was so busy passing out candy that I almost didn't recognize one of my cutest little models in her costume! I definitely don't want to do that again!

I didn't want to post without a picture, so take a looksie at the gorgeous sunset I caught at the end of one of my last sessions. We always get the most beautiful Autumn sunsets.

Who could resist this face??

2008-10-03T14:36:00.006-05:00

I thought I should balance out all the talk in my last post with some super cuteness!!

I just had to share this little guy! I was smiling the whole time I was proofing his session. They just don't come any cuter or happier than this!

Lots of news

2008-09-30T18:05:00.006-05:00

I have to apologize for taking so long to make any holiday announcements. If you haven’t heard, I’m expecting again and the last two months I was very sick and got really behind with work. I have to give extra special thanks to all my clients during that time who have been so patient and understanding. All paid orders have been placed (just waiting for a bunch of huge boxes to be delivered to me) and I am almost completely caught up now. Only two more sessions that still need to be proofed and posted and I will be ahead of the game again. Now for the news…

The holiday portrait season seems to be in full swing! The month of October is fully booked, and I have a limited number of sessions still available in November. If you would like portraits done in time for the holidays, please contact me soon.

Once I have finished the last of the studio sessions on my calendar, I will no longer be offering studio sessions in my home, and will be 100% outdoors/on-location for an undetermined length of time. With our family growing again we need to take this time to finally finish the lower level and use it for living space. I have portable studio equipment, so we can always set up in your home if you have a newborn, really young children, or if you would like a session and are concerned about the weather. Contact me and we can discuss our options. Remember, autumn is a fabulous time for outdoor sessions!! :)

I have received lots of inquiries about my holiday mini sessions. Normally I announce these much earlier, but as I said, I’ve been a little behind. :) I decided to do something a little differently this year. Instead of doing one or two full days of mini sessions, I will be offering one or two per day on various dates throughout the month of November. Contact me if you would like a complete listing of mini session dates and times. (Full sessions are available as well). Those booking a holiday mini session will have their choice of the following collections (remember, there is no additional session fee):

Sugar Plums~$175
Session
1~8x10
2~5x7s
25 holiday cards

Candycanes~$250
session
1~8x10
4~5x7s
2 sets of eight wallets
50 holiday cards

Gingerbread~$350
Session
3~8x10s
6~5x7s
2 sets of eight wallets
50 holiday cards
Mini brag album

Details:
~Mini sessions will last 15-20 minutes
~3-5 proofs presented in an online gallery
~One outfit only
~One grouping (just family or just individual shots of one child)
~If you want individual photographs of more than one child, please book more than one session.
~Up to five people (each additional person add $25)

Last, but not least, I would like to present to you a new pricing structure featuring exclusively digital collections which will be available for a limited time for all sessions beginning in November. (Regular print and print packages will still be available as well). I have been brainstorming for weeks now on how I can simplify things so that I can go to bed at a reasonable hour every night. Since I have been getting more and more requests for digital negatives, I thought this might be the perfect solution. There will be three options. The best part-the session fee is included in each collection price! There are no additional costs, other than tax of course. Each collection comes with a CD containing your digital negatives and one printed 5x7 proof of each image on your CD in a portrait box. Images are artist’s choice, so in other words you get all of the images that would normally be in your ordering gallery. How easy is this? We hold your session, I proof your images, burn a CD, box up your proofs and everything is shipped right to your door! I’ll even include special instructions with your order to ensure you get beautiful, high quality prints of your session images. Email me if you would like to receive a more detailed information sheet with everything you need to know about these sessions including restrictions and recommendations. So, without further to-do, here are your new digital session options:

The Mini Digital~$500
20-30 minute session for up to four people
10 printed 5x7s (one of each proof)
10 digital negatives on CD

The Standard Digital~$700
1-2 hour session for up to five people
20 printed 5x7s (one of each proof)
20 digital negatives on CD

The Deluxe Digital~ $1100
1-3 hour session for up to five people
40 printed 5x7s (one of each proof) in a portrait box or album (your choice)
40 digital negatives on CD

EXTRAS which may be added to the collections above:
~each additional person $25
~birth announcement or holiday card design (file included) $50
~collage/storyboard design and file $75
~of course you may still add prints, cards or canvases from our a la carte price list if you would like

Phew! I think that’s about it. My hands are tired from all that typing. :) I hope you all have had a wonderful summer! Best wishes for a wonderful autumn!

Simply Stunning

2008-09-26T00:52:00.006-05:00

I don't have to ooh and ahh over how gorgeous this senior was. I'm sure your vision is just fine, so I'll just let you look for yourself. :)

I thoroughly enjoyed this session and was so happy to finally get to meet this senior! ;) I'm working on getting your gallery up now, so I'll have it ready for you soon! Thanks for being so patient!

One Year Later

2008-09-19T13:00:00.008-05:00

Remember this beautiful baby? http://shootin-thebreeze.blogspot.com/2007/08/in-middle-of-senior-madness-precious.html Well I had the pleasure of photographing her again and she has grown into the cutest one year old!! She also brought along her new baby brother. I jokingly told their parents they could have saved some time and money by passing off some of her newborn portraits as his. It's scary how much their new guy resembled their daughter as a newborn. :) So, here the new big sister. Isn't she just the cutest???

And here is her new baby brother. Gotta love that hair!

Thanks for coming to visit me again guys! Your babies are so gorgeous and so good, you really make my job easy!

Two ways to help save lives

2008-08-27T00:39:00.008-05:00

So the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk is quickly approaching and I haven't yet met my fundraising goal to be allowed to walk. Sooo, I am doing two things. First, I am doing another day of mini sessions with the proceeds being donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and secondly, I am offering a raffle of sorts.

There are less details involved with the raffle, so I will start there. If the mini session date doesn't work for you, and you would still like to help, I thought I would raffle off a full session and collection of gift prints. For every $10 donated to my walk fund, your name will be entered once in the raffle. My personal fundraising page can be found here: http://www.the3day.org/site/TR/Walk/WashingtonDCEvent?JServSessionIdr011=ob4ff1g451.app320b&px=1798431&pg=personal&fr_id=1192 If, for some reason this link does not work for you, another link can be found listed under my favorite links to the right. All donations are tax deductible and will do amazing things to advance research for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer. You have through September 10th to participate in the raffle. I will put all the entries in a bowl on the 11th and select one winner. If you donate online I will get an email notifying me of your donation. If you choose to print out the donation form and mail it in, please send me an email so that you will not be left out of the raffle.

Now, on to the mini sessions. Here are the details:

Saturday, September 13th

15 minute sessions beginning at 9am

One grouping of up to 5 people (if you want individual shots of more than one child, you will need to book one session for each child)

one outfit only, no changes please

session fee is included in the collection price

price of the collection must be paid at the time of booking to reserve your session

3-5 proofs presented in an online ordering gallery

The Collections:

$50
session
1~5x7

$100
session
1~8x10
2~5x7s
1 set of eight wallets

$200
session
1~8x10
4~5x7s
2 sets of eight wallets
AND
one set of 25 photocards (no, it's not too early to do your holiday cards!)
OR
a $50 print credit to purchase other prints of your choice

If you have any questions, please feel free to send me an email or give me a call!

My sweet new niece

2008-08-27T00:23:00.007-05:00

It's actually her fault my husband and I were sick last week. We came down with food poisoning after going up to meet her for the very first time. Luckily for her, she's too darn cute to blame. :) I must say we are totally in love, as are her Daddy, Mommy and big brother!
Big smooches little girl!! Thank you for being so good for your crazy auntie with the camera!

A beautiful evening at the beach

2008-08-26T23:52:00.007-05:00

Just when I think I've seen all of the most gorgeous beaches in Calvert County I get invited to do a session at another one. Loved this beach! Loved this family! They braved the "bedtime hour" to get a session in during our perfect summer evening light. The kiddos did amazingly well and mom and dad did everything right. It is so important to let your kids just be themselves and do their own thing during a session and to not force them to pose and be perfect. That's the key to getting images that you will love. And I do hope they love these...

I also want to thank everyone for being so patient with me this past week. I was sick a little over a week ago and it took quite a while for me to bounce back. I should be all caught up by this weekend. Yay!! :)

Saying goodbye to a hero

2008-08-11T14:57:00.014-05:00

As most locals know, on August 1st United States Army Sgt. Ryan Baumann, of Great Mills, died in Afghanistan from injuries suffered after his vehicle encountered an improvised explosive device. My husband heard last week that people were being asked to line the route that would take Sgt. Baumann to Arlington this morning. Let me just say that it was one of the most moving scenes I have ever witnessed. I took the kids and went to the St. Mary's/Charles County line only to find a beautiful flag hanging over the road from the ladders of two firetrucks, dozens of other firetrucks and emergency vehicles from all over the county lining the road, Firefighters and Police Officers and Soldiers and Marines and Sailors and Airmen, all in uniform, and a community that came together on a simply beautiful morning to say thank you and goodbye to a man who so bravely gave his life in the service of our country.

I wanted to share a couple of photos here tonight to ask everyone to please keep Sgt. Baumann's loved ones in your thoughts and prayers in the coming days. And also, as you kiss your kids goodnight and settle yourself into bed, please remember all of the men and women in uniform who are in harm's way keeping watch tonight. The thanks that we owe them is beyond words...

Congratulations to Starr & Thomas

2008-07-30T10:29:00.010-05:00

Before I get into all kinds of trouble, no, I do not normally do weddings. Occassionally if my schedule allows, I will take on a small, intimate, outdoor wedding. Even then it is usually only one or two a year. I bow down to wedding photograhers. Weddings are soooo much work! I'll chase a two year old around for a couple of hours any day!!! :)

Anyway, I have taken a long time to finish these up, so I thought I would give Starr & Thomas a little peek while their photos are being printed and their album assembled. I hope you guys had a wonderful honeymoon! I'll be in touch soon!

And my favorite...I think:

One last session in Maryland

2008-07-08T15:03:00.008-05:00

So I get a call from one of my favorite clients looking for a family session at the beach. Of course I jump at the chance. Then she gives me the news. They have put their house up for sale and will be moving soon. :( So sad for me, but happy for them as they are obviously excited about the new adventure. So no pressure here or anything. They just want some special photos to remember their time here in Maryland. ;) Luckily for me they are some of the easiest people in the world to photograph. They are so great, so much fun and just completely gorgeous. My biggest problem with them is narrowing down the number of proofs I have to show them to a reasonable number.

Anyway, here is a little sneak peek for them. We waited what seemed like forever for the sunset this night. It was so pretty though. A little Southern Maryland sunset with the Solomon's bridge there in the background.

Their gorgeous little girl. I am convinced that this child can not take a bad picture.

Their little prince. Not sure if you can see the sand all over his face, but he was really "getting in to" this whole beach photo session thing. :)

And finally...I can't take credit for this idea. I've done variations during senior sessions and engagement sessions on the beach, but never thought to do it with a family. Can I just say that I LOVE IT!!

I'll have the rest of these up for you guys soon!!

Summer Fun

2008-07-05T13:11:00.006-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July!! We almost put the kids to bed last night assuming that the fireworks had been cancelled due to the storm. We heard a couple of fireworks go off in the distance, so we jumped in the car with the kids and raced over to Solomons. I wish I had some photos to share of the show, but in our rush to get out the door I left my camera. :( Oh well! Maybe next year!

I still have a couple of clients still patiently waiting to see their photos that I took before I left for vacation. If you are waiting, I am here to let you know that I am almost caught up and they will be ready for you shortly! Here are a couple from a session I am currently working on posting. I had to share this gorgeous little princess...

holding Daddy's hand...awww...

and one of her brother and the crab he found on the beach.

He was definitely more interested in all the beach critters than he was in having his photo taken. :) Hey, who wouldn't be?!?!

I'm off to get a little more work in before naptime is over. I'll have tons of stuff to share in the coming days, including another mini session announcement. Don't miss it!

A session for me!

2008-06-19T09:06:00.013-05:00

I am working on a special project, and I was fortunate enough to find a willing, beautiful, pregnant woman who was up for anything I suggested. I think I need to do sessions for me more often. It took me a few minutes to catch my groove since it was a bit overwhelming having all of this freedom. :) Once I found it, it was so much fun! I think from now on, when I have a crazy idea that I would like to try, I'll make a post here looking for a model. I realized after this session that I've gotten too caught up lately in the business of photography and have neglected to feed my love of photography. Thanks so much to this mama-to-be for being so great and for never once looking at me like I was nuts as we hiked through the knee-high weeds with grasshoppers hopping in every direction!! I happen to think it was oh-so worth it! Hope you do too after you see these...

She had such a perfect belly!! It's hard to believe she is just days from her due date!

And my favorite...

A special thanks also to Jen for helping me set this up!! :)

Big Boy!

2008-06-17T23:07:00.004-05:00

So I asked this guy how old he was now, since he just had a birthday, and he showed me:

That was the first time I have ever seen "two" done that way! :) Quite original, don't ya think?? And as if I hadn't laughed enough, he danced for me and then gave me this pose:

Toooo cute! And one more just because it is one of my favorites. Nothing says little boy like bruised knees and toy cars...

My Shane

2008-05-13T00:09:00.009-05:00

I think we all have at least one person in our lives that makes us feel our age. (a.k.a OLD :) ) This is my person. I was 12ish when he was born, and as our parents are very good friends, my brother and I spent a lot of time with him and his big sis. My mom even babysat for him for a time. He was my living baby doll. I got to dress him up, carry him around and just loved him to bits. Well, gulp, he's graduating. Being the typical senior guy, he waited until the last possible second to get dragged in by his mom to get his senior portraits done. His one little problem was that I knew I could do absolutely anything I wanted with him and he couldn't tell me no. ;) I intended to drag him out in the snow this past winter, but much to my dismay, we really never had a snowfall stick long enough to arrange it. Soooo, I put him in the river. Ha Ha! Cough cough! It was cold. It was raining. It was nasty. And, yes, I took the poor guy (tux and all) and put him in the Patuxent River. I don't expect him to be referring me to any of his friends. :)

Anyway, enough babbling from me.

Here is my Shane:

I have better shots of him in the river, but thought I'd share this one showing the rain and misery. :)

Congratulations Shane!! Smooch!

One of my last of the Class of '08

2008-05-07T21:57:00.007-05:00

I have one more senior session to proof and then that's it for the Class of 2008. Just in time for my phone to start ringing with requests from the Class of '09. :) Anyway, I can not tell you how much I loved proofing this session! First off, it was for a senior GUY! I think I have one guy for every 10-15 senior girls, so it is always fun to get them in front of my camera. Secondly, he and his family were just so nice to work with. I'm thinking about hiring his little brother as an assistant. He kept his big bro laughing the entire time. And lastly, well, just look at him! I hope I don't break any teenage hearts by posting these here. Oops! I hope I'm not embarassing him. ;) I'll shut up now.

Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder

2008-04-28T13:55:00.005-05:00

So I went to one of my local florists the other day, just looking for some pretty flowers so that I could take some photos just for fun. I had it in my head that I wanted a pink flower, possibly a gerber daisy to sell prints, cards and whatnots of to help with my Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk fundraising. (and maybe to give a print to my mom for Mother's Day) I looked around, selecting a few flowers and chatting with the florist. I told her that I was just getting some random blooms to photograph and asked her if she had any pink gerbers. She walks to one of the coolers and tells me that she is sorry, but she only has one in there, andt that it is really malformed. She shows it to me and I immediately tell her I'll take it. I think this is what I love most about photography, being able to look at something others would pass up or toss in the trash and seeing something absolutely beautiful. Shhhh! Don't tell my mom about this if you know her! It's being printed up for her as we speak. I can't wait to give it to her on this extra-special Mother's Day!

Edit-I have had requests to purchase copies of this image. If you would like to purchase a print or set of notecards with this photo, you may go HERE to do so. All proceeds from the sale of this image will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure as part of my Breast Cancer 3 Day walk fundraising efforts.

So little, So loved...

2008-04-24T00:05:00.006-05:00

I have to thank my clients for providing me with with a steady flow of absolutely adorable newborns. It's so nice of them, don't you think?!?!?

Though I am normally not big on props, who could resist this? Not I!! :)

Mother's Day/Spring Mini Sessions

2008-04-16T22:06:00.003-05:00

I am celebrating being able to get outdoors for sessions again with an extra special offer. Plus, I thought I’d help out all my Dad clients with their Mother’s Day shopping. What mom wouldn’t want beautiful portraits of her kids? Remember Mother’s Day is May11th! It’s just around the corner…

Announcing our Mother’s Day/Spring Mini Sessions

A large portion of the proceeds from these sessions will be donated to Susan G Komen For The Cure to support my fundraising efforts to participate in the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk in DC in October. I've added a link to my personal fundraising page to this blog just in case anyone is interested in following my progress. You can find it over on right under links.

Here is what you need to know:

When: Saturday, April 26th

Location: outdoors at Annmarie Garden in Solomons (http://www.annmariegarden.org/)

15 minute sessions. (Sessions will begin every 15 minutes from 9:15 through 11:45)

You will be shown 3-5 proofs in an online gallery

One grouping only for up to 5 people. (For example, you may do a family portrait, a sibling portrait or photos of one child). If you would like individual photos of multiple children then you must book a separate session for each.

Orders must be placed by May 4th to guarantee 5/9 delivery (in time for Mother’s Day)

You must choose one of the following three options when booking. Total amount is due at the time you book your session.

$50
Includes:
Mini Session
One 5x7 print

$100
Includes:
Mini Session
1-8x10
2-5x7s
1 set of wallets

$200
Includes:
Mini Session
1-8x10
2-5x7s
1-10x20 storyboard (or you may substitute $125 in other prints if you do not want one of the storyboards I show you).

Please contact me as soon as possible if you would like to reserve one of these sessions. (My contact information can be found on my website). I expect these sessions to fill quickly.

Happy 1st Birthday Sweet Girl

2008-04-13T21:00:00.010-05:00

This little lady was featured here on my blog last Mother's Day. You can find the post here. Now she is a little one year old heartbreaker with the biggest, bluest eyes you've ever seen. Happy Birthday sweet girl!! kiss kiss!!

See what I mean???

I just love the little attitude here. :)

And here are her twin cousins on the beach. Unfortunately I didn't get as many shots of them as I would have liked. M & E, next time you are down with the girls visiting, let me know and we'll set something up. I do love this shot though... You'd never know how freezing cold that water was looking at them here. :)

Thanks for such a fun evening!!

Baby Boom!!

2008-04-07T22:14:00.004-05:00

Babies, babies, babies!!! I can't believe how many newborns I've photographed over the past month. I still have a bunch of moms on my calendar who are awaiting the births of their babies as well. I guess it's a good thing I adore photographing newborns! Here is a little sweetheart I had the pleasure of meeting recently. These are a little sneak peek for her mom and dad since I am not quite finished proofing her session yet. She was so incredibly good and so alert. I have so many great shots with eye contact from her. Not a very common thing with newborn photos. Isn't she just gorgeous???

And look at those sweet little lips! Just makes you want to give her a big old smooch!!

In the next couple of days I will be announcing some special Spring/Mother's Day sessions so be on the look out!

From Home To Heroes

2008-04-06T19:00:00.003-05:00

I haven't been contacted to do one of these sessions for a couple of months now, so I thought I'd mention it here in hopes of stirring up interest again. I offer one complimentary session a month to military families with a parent who is currently serving over seas or about to be deployed. It is a very nice way to get some extra special family photos done before mom or dad is sent off to serve our country, or to get some adorable photos of the children to send to mom or dad who is away. I also compile a small album of my favorite shots and send it off to our hero with my thanks for their service. If you would like to be considered for one of these sessions or know a wonderful family that deserves one, please send me an email with "From Home To Heroes" in the subject line to alicia@baybreezephoto.com with a brief note. I'll be in touch if your family is selected. Regardless, I am so grateful to our military families!

Looking for Senior Reps from the Class of '09

2008-04-05T20:00:00.000-05:00

So it's about that time already! Time to get ready for senior portraits for the class of 2009. My senior rep program has worked beautifully for me the past couple of years, so why mess with a good thing, right?!?! Once again I am looking for one senior (well, junior right now) from each of the high schools in Calvert County and St. Mary's County. What do you do? It's pretty simple. You meet up with me for a few minutes for a super fast mini session. I choose some photos and make up some cards and you pass them out. All you have to get is one referral and your senior portrait session is free. Each referral earns you a $30 print credit to be applied to your portrait order. Plus you get all sorts of fun little "extras" from me. So drop me an email. alicia@baybreezephoto.com We'll talk it over. :)

Last minute Easter Mini Sessions

2008-02-20T16:01:00.002-05:00

So due to my kiddos contracting one bug after another I never got around to doing my Valentine mini sessions. I was pretty bummed since I had all kinds of cute ideas for them. BUT...

I will be participating in the Breast Cancer 3 Day Walk for the Cure in October. To raise the money required to walk, I will be offering several special promotions during the coming months. Since I've had a cancellation this Saturday I thought I would go ahead with my first one. Sooooo, this Saturday, 2/23 I will be offering a limited number of Easter mini sessions with a huge portion of the proceeds being donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. I know it is a little last minute, but if you're free and thinking about some cute, colorful Easter photos, here's your chance! Here are the details:

Saturday, February 23rd

Times: 9, 9:20, 9:40, 10, 10:20, 10:40

15-20 minute studio sessions
1 grouping (either an individual shot of one kiddo, a sibling shot or a family shot)
1 backdrop
1 outfit
3-5 proofs

Your options:

JELLY BEANS
$50 session fee (prints purchased a la carte)

PEEPS
$125
The mini session
1-8x10
2-5x7s
2 sets of wallets (total 16 wallets)

THE CHOCOLATE BUNNY
$195
The mini session
25 cards
1-8x10
4-5x7s
2 sets of wallets (total 16 wallets)

This is first come, first serve, so do not wait! Drop me an email (alicia@baybreezephoto.com) or give me a call if you would like to book one of these! They are great deals for an even greater cause!

And the winner is.......

2008-01-01T18:34:00.000-05:00

With a total of 264 votes #9 wins the Favorite Image of '07!! Congratulations to the "H" family who will be receiving a gift certificate as their prize since they purchased a beautiful canvas of this image. Thank you to the hundreds of people who took the time to vote! This was a lot of fun and I am definitely going to try to do this a few times a year.

A couple of news worthy items:

~There will be a slight price increase this year which will go into effect January 10th. If you would like to book a session and take advantage of 2007 prices, you must do so prior to that date.

~I will be offering several new items this year and will be unveiling my new portrait collections as well. I have spent countless hours researching and brainstorming, so I hope you will be as excited about these new options as I am!

~In the next day or two I will be posting an announcement here with information regarding some extra special Valentine's Day mini sessions. Spaces will be limited, so keep checking if you might be interested. Trust me, the deals will be extra SWEET, so you won't want to miss out!

Happy New Year!!!!

Contest Update

2007-12-31T11:00:00.000-05:00

Well, I woke up this morning to an email inbox jam packed with votes. Apparently the poll came down early last night for some reason. I have tons of last minute votes to count up(and only the ones sent before midnight will count), along with all of the email and comment votes that I have received throughout the week. I will count them all up tomorrow and post the winner. I hate to make you all wait another day, but today is my daughter's birthday so we have lots of 4 year-old fun planned today. :) I wish you all a very safe and Happy New Year!!!!!

Favorite Image of '07 Contest

2007-12-21T08:26:00.000-05:00

So the people I had looking over my 2007 images were a little overwhelmed by the sheer number. Sorry guys! If this goes over well, maybe next year we will do this every couple of months to make it a little easier. (and more fun for us!) Anyway, I set a 12 photo limit, so here are your twelve choices: OH, the rules!

~Only one vote per person. (That means you too, you sneaky people with eight different email addresses! :) )

~The contest will run from today through Sunday, December 30th at 11:59 pm.

~The winner will receive a beautiful wall print of the image, or if they ordered one at the time of their session, I will come up with an equally fun gift.

~I will also feature the image for a time on my blog header which I am in the process of designing.

~I am going to attempt to post a poll here which you may use to vote. In the event that that does not work or if you would rather, send an email to alicia@baybreezephoto.com with "contest" as the subject and the number of the image you are voting for in the email. You can also post a comment here to this blog post with your vote.

~Remember this is all in fun, so let's keep with the spirit!

NOW your choices:

#1

#2

#10

#11

#12

Thanks for voting!!

Happy Holidays!!!!

2007-12-20T22:21:00.000-05:00

Have I been a lame blogger, or what?!?!? To all of you loyal blog followers, I am so sorry to leave you hanging. The past few months have just been entirely to crazy. My New Year's resolution is to keep up with this thing, so let's see how I do. As part of my apology, I thought I would do something fun. Something that I have never done before. Drum roll please!!! A contest. Favorite Image of '07 will begin tomorrow (Friday). You will have one week to vote for your favorite image and to get everyone you know to vote. And since you can't have a contest without a prize, I will be providing the subjects in the winning image with a big, beautiful print of that image. So check back tomorrow! And HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!!!!!!

News

2007-10-25T10:08:00.000-05:00

I am now completely booked through the end of the year. The only exception is maternity sessions and newborn sessions. I will do my best to try to accommodate newborns under the age of two weeks if at all possible due to the fleeting nature of that time. If you are interested in a maternity or newborn session in November or December, please contact me as soon as possible. If you would like to be placed on a list to be contacted in the event of a cancellation or would like to schedule a session after the first of the year, please feel free to contact me as well.

Need something to do this weekend? This Saturday, October 27th from 11-4 is Halloween in the Garden at Annmarie Garden in Solomons. Never been? You can get all the information you need here: http://www.annmariegarden.org/Events/Halloween/index.htm I took my daughter last year and she had a blast!! This year I signed up to have a table and pass out candy myself. It is a wonderful event where the kids (and parents too ;) ) can get dressed up in their costumes and walk the wooded path receiving candy and treats from local businesses and organizations. It is sooooo much fun and I can not wait to participate this year! Current clients get an extra special treat if I see you there!!

If you are waiting to see your session proofs I am running a little behind and working day and night to get them too you. I'll be in touch very soon!

Photos in the next blog entry. I PROMISE!!!

One-in-eight

2007-10-18T23:57:00.000-05:00

I know I've not posted in a long time, but the past month has been both extremely busy and extremely difficult for me. Some of you have heard already, but for those who have not, my mom was diagnosed several weeks ago with breast cancer. I am sharing this information for one reason, and one reason only, to remind all the women reading this to do your monthly self exams, and to get your mammograms. Please, please, please! One in eight is the number of women who will be diagnosed with this disease. 1 in 8! So in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and in honor of the fight my mom is currently undertaking, please make sure your lifestyle is as healthy as possible, eliminate what risk factors you can and do your self exams and get your mammograms. And make sure all the women in your life are doing the same.

Come back and visit again soon. I have tons of new photos to share.

This senior needed 10 stitches after our session...OUCH!!!

2007-09-06T00:40:00.000-05:00

And no, it wasn't my fault! I arrive for "M's" session and her mom greets me and tells me that she had an accident at soccer practice and has a pretty nasty gash on her leg. M still wanted to go ahead with her session though. She is made of tough stuff, let me tell you! I would tell you that this injury didn't slow her down one bit, but she had to keep stopping to apply pressure. Oh man! M may have been having a bad day, but her session was a blast for me. And she not only wins my "toughest senior" award, but also, hands down, takes home "most gorgeous eyes" as well. The web quality photos don't do them justice, but you can kind of see what I mean...

And one more just to prove that she really was up for anything.

I hope you are feeling better M! Thanks for being such a good sport! Your first Cold Stone ice cream is on me!! :)

Hot pink flower blossoms + white shirt = not one of my best moments

2007-09-01T22:40:00.000-05:00

Okay, here's a little preview for Miss A. Now, I have to tell you a little story about this session. The crape myrtles were blooming beautifully on this particular day and a certain photographer had the "brilliant" idea that this senior should lay down on the grass that was covered with the fallen blossoms. This same photographer was also wearing kaki pants and got down on the ground as well to get the shot. So we, um, cough, I mean "this photographer" and senior get up and find themselves covered with stains. Ugh! Brilliant Alicia, really!!! "A" tells me the shirt is just fine though, so all is well. Warning to all future clients: your photographer has only the perfect shot in mind, so feel free to tell her she's nuts! :)

Anyway, here is your sneak peek A. Luckily we got some shots before I ruined your shirt!! :)

There are still a few Holiday Limited Edition sessions left. (Get the details in the post below). Contact me soon if you'd like to reserve one!

Holiday Limited Edition Sessions

2007-08-29T10:51:00.000-05:00

Drum roll please!! Here is the information you all have been waiting for! You may now book your Holiday Limited Edition Sessions! Pretty much all the information you need is below. These sessions are custom designed for those of you who do not have time for a full session with all the trimmings, but still want to get that perfect shot for holiday cards and gifts. You must choose one of the three collections below. There is no separate session fee. A discounted session fee is included in the smallest collection, or you may choose one of the two larger collections and pay no session fee!

Dates:
Saturday, October 6th
Saturday, October 20th

Times: 9, 9:30, 10, 10:30, 11, 12:30, 1, 1:30, 2, 2:30

Details:
~15-20 minute mini-sessions
~You will be shown 6-8 proofs
~One grouping only (just individual shots or just family shots)
~No outfit changes or background changes
~Choice of one of 10 pre-designed cards
~Includes one card revision
~Holiday cards-your choice of 5x7 photocards, 5x7 metallic print photocards or 5x7 folded cards OR if you do not need holiday cards you may have 25 or 50 (depending upon which collection you choose) 4x5 prints of ONE image to include in your own cards or to use as gifts
~No other substitutions to the collections allowed
~A non-refundable $150 deposit is required to reserve your session. If you choose a collection with a cost greater than $150, the remaining balance is due before, or on the day of your session

Choice of three collections

The Blizzard~ $500
3- 8x10s
6- 5x7s
2-sets of wallets (total of 16)
50 holiday cards
1-10x20 storyboard
2-mini 5x10 “gift” copies of the storyboard
Mini 3x3 brag album

The Snow Day~$ 325
2- 8x10s
5- 5x7s
2-sets of wallets (total of 16)
50 holiday cards
Mini 3x3 brag album

The Flurry~$150
1- 8x10
1-5x7
25 holiday cards

I will also be offering an assortment of special gift items this year including ornaments, mini albums and desk sized canvases. A detailed list will be included in your information packet that I will send you when you reserve your session.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me! If you would like to book a full session, I can also give you a detailed list of my availability any time.

2007 Holiday ordering deadlines

Ordering deadline is November 15th for guaranteed delivery

All orders placed after December 5th will not be delivered until after January 7th

Holiday Session details to be announced tomorrow!

2007-08-28T13:08:00.000-05:00

It took me a little longer to finalize my holiday schedule, so I apologize for not posting the mini session details last week. Holiday Limited Edition Session details will be posted here Wednesday (tomorrow) afternoon. I expect these sessions to be completely booked before the end of the weekend, so please do not wait to contact me if you want one.

On another note, I have to share a couple from one of my recent senior sessions. Part of this session was done on a golf course. The senior's mom zipped us around the course in a golf cart so that we could hit all the best spots before we lost the light. This was a first for me! If only I had one of those at every session! :) Check out my brave model riding in the back! You didn't think she rode in the cart and got her dress all wrinkled, did you?!?!

And a couple more...

I can't wait for you to see the rest, J! They'll be up soon!

Stay tuned this week...

2007-08-19T22:17:00.001-05:00

I will be announcing the dates and details for my holiday Limited Edition sessions this week. Current clients will receive an email and then later I will post the information here. They start to fill SUPER fast, so if you are interested, don't wait! I am really excited about them this year, as I have changed things up a bit. I'm not going to spill yet, so you'll just have to keep checking back!

K-here is a little sneak peek for you! I'll have your gallery up in a couple of days!

I hope you all aren't getting bored with all my seniors! I do have some kids and families scheduled the next couple of weeks, so I'll be sure to share some of those to mix it up a little! :)

In the middle of senior madness a precious new life!

2007-08-13T11:53:00.000-05:00

Usually when a newborn is awake through the entire session it is not a good thing because they are screaming the whole time. Not the case with this one. :) I had to share a couple from this last newborn session. She was such an angel and so gorgeous to boot!

Thanks for being so good sweetheart! I'm so glad your parents brought you to see me!

Back from a week off

2007-07-31T21:33:00.000-05:00

Hi! I'm baaaaaack! And struggling to get caught up after having a week off. If you are waiting for me, I promise you I am working every second I can find. Thanks for your patience!

M-I am almost finished with your session! Here is a little peek before I go back to proofing. You're gonna love them!!! :)

In the last couple of days, my August schedule has almost been completely filled. If you want an August session, please contact me as soon as possible!

Seniors, Seniors and more Seniors!

2007-07-06T14:39:00.000-05:00

Here they come! The Class of '08 is wasting no time getting their senior portraits done. Of course, I am more than happy to accommodate them! :) I have a blast doing senior portraits over the summer! See what I mean....

The first two of the three ladies in this post are senior reps. If you recognize them, they have special offers for you if you talk to them first!

Fresh faces to kick off summer

2007-06-25T13:15:00.000-05:00

I have been proofing like a crazy woman, so I thought I'd share a few of my recent cuties.

This one is from one of my favorite sessions ever. I had so much fun. I could take pictures of her all day long. Not only is she absolutely gorgeous, but she's a total sweetie as well!

I have a thing for fairies. Cicely Mary Barker's "Flower Fairies" are my favorites. If you are familiar with her work, then you'll understand why I adore this shot. I think I caught my very own flower fairy!

Last, but not least tonight is this little guy. He is just crazy cute! This isn't his first time posing for me, so he has become quite the pro! His parents shared their wonderful news that he will become a big brother early next year. I couldn't be happier for him! :)

Happy Father's Day!!!

2007-06-17T00:00:00.000-05:00

I know a lot of wonderful dads. I have one and happen to be married to one. Over the past few years I've watched the friends and cousins I grew up with turn into them. I want to wish you all a very Happy Father's Day!! kiss kiss!

There isn't much sweeter than a daddy with his newborn, so I thought I'd share a recent one. I hope he enjoys his very first Father's Day! With a little one this precious I don't see how he could do anything but. :)
And a couple more of this little angel just because I can't help myself! Isn't she just gorgeous?!?! She was so good too!

I could just eat her up! Newborn sessions are my favorite! Can you tell??? :)

Happy Father's Day to all you Dads out there!!

Bay Breeze Seniors

2007-05-31T22:13:00.000-05:00

I know I've been MIA on the blog front. Life has been a bit crazy the past couple of weeks. First I have some exciting news (for me at least)!! My senior website is up and running! I couldn't proof while my daughter was at dance tonight, but I could work on the website on my laptop. Check it out! http://www.baybreezephoto.com/seniors There will be a link on the front page of my website soon, but for now you can only get there from here or the pricing page of the portrait site. It has sat around half finished for months now, so it feels so good to have it up.

In honor of the launching of my senior site I am offering 24 complimentary wallets to every senior who contacts me during the month of June and books a senior session.

Sorry no photos to share this time. I have photographed some great families the past couple of weeks and have tons of proofing to finish. I'll share some this weekend!

Oh, and thanks again for the flowers Miss Emma!! They still smell sooooo good!

There's just something about this little guy...

2007-05-22T14:58:00.000-05:00

Maybe it's the mischief in his eyes. :) I don't know. He is just so much fun to photograph!
See what I mean???

And his adorable baby sister!

I was going to save this one for my Happy Father's Day post but couldn't wait that long. How could he not be wrapped around her little finger???

I had a busy weekend so I have more to share later!!

Happy Mother's Day!!!

2007-05-12T23:19:00.000-05:00

To all the amazing women who know what it means to go by the name Mom. I hope you have a wonderful day!!!

I thought these were appropriate today. :)

And one more just because! :) "Um, mom, you think you can get the lady with the lights to quit it?!? She's disturbing my beauty sleep!"

Yet another of my babies turns ONE!

2007-04-29T20:33:00.000-05:00

I can't believe how many first birthday portraits I've done over the past couple of weeks. All of my sweet little babies are growing up! Good thing I have a whole new batch of newborns to follow this year, or I might be more than a little depressed!

Have I mentioned yet how excited I am that spring is finally here?? Aaahhh! A cute one year old outside on a gorgeous spring day. Life is good! Check out her gorgous eyes! Her daddy is going to get worn out chasing the boys away one day! :)

Speaking of mothers...

2007-04-24T07:11:00.000-05:00

This sweet little guy made one recently.

Thanks for being such a good little model! And thanks to your mommy and daddy for letting me come play!

Mother's Day Contest

2007-04-21T07:01:00.000-05:00

A photographer buddy of mine convinced me to try this. :) So let's see how it goes...

Starting today, and running through Friday, April 27th we are having our very first Mother's Day contest. Here's what I want you to do:

Write a letter, a poem, or whatever you want telling me about a special mom you know. She can be your mom, the mother of your children(hint, hint Dads!!), or any woman who plays the mother/just like a mother role. Entries can also come from mothers sharing how their lives have been touched by their child/children.

The details:

I will not be judging the entries myself, but will be leaving the difficult decision to an impartial third party. So don't get mad at me!! :)
Entries must be received by 11:00 pm Friday, 4/27/07
Send your entry to alicia@baybreezephoto.com and put "Mother's Day Blog Contest" in the subject line.
Feel free to be creative and have fun with this and let us feel the love! :)

The prize:

The winner shall receive a complimentary session for up to 5 people. Session must take place by July 31, 2007. This prize may not be exchanged and is not redeemable for cash.

Sound like fun? Well, get writing!! If you have any questions, just let me know!

Charlee Katz Creations

2007-04-11T10:49:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago I was asked to take photographs for the website of a new business. I had so much fun doing this, and since I think the products are adorable, I thought I'd share. Charlee Katz Creations is currently offering a gorgeous variety of handmade hats and scarves. You're gonna want one!!! :) If you like what you see below, check out their website: http://www.charleekatz.com

Woo Hoo! I do LOVE springtime!!

2007-04-04T00:17:00.000-05:00

This was my first outdoor session this year. I was more than a little excited to get out of the studio. This little doll enjoyed being outside as well. She even had her toes in the water! No way was I that brave! Oh, what I wouldn't do for these curls...

Finally some photos to share!

2007-03-27T01:19:00.000-05:00

I will begin posting more regularly, I promise! It has been a bit crazy getting things up and running again and I've had quite a few technical difficulties. I think I'm back on track now! I guess we'll see...

I wanted to share a couple of the cutie pies I've gotten to play with recently. First is my little mover! He is curious and he is FAST ladies and gentlemen! :) Fortunately he is also sweet and adorable and gave me 15 minutes to get a couple of Easter photos. Thanks for coming by little man! I hope your Daddy had a great birthday!

Next is Baby G. So sweet and fresh and not the least bit tired. :) His mommy really wanted some sleeping newborn shots and we sure had to work for them! They were definitely worth it though!

I have a ton of newborns due to arrive in April and May, so if you are expecting and thinking about a session, please contact me soon so I can note your due date. I don't have a lot of extra room in my schedule right now, so I want to make sure I leave some time open for you!

Looking for a few good Juniors...

2007-03-09T13:11:00.000-05:00

First let me say thank you to everyone for all the fun birthday wishes! I have A LOT of gifts to print up and wrap. I can't wait to see what everyone gets! :)

I am currently working on a separate website for my senior portraits. I should have it up and running by the end of the month. There is just too much information specific to my seniors to cram it all into my regular site.

So setting up the new site has forced me to begin planning for the class of '08. I am beginning to look for a new group of senior ambassadors. I need one student (who is currently a junior) from each of the high schools in Calvert County & St. Mary's County. Here's the scoop:
~We will get together for about 15 minutes for a quick photo shoot. (Preferrably sometime in April) With these photos I will make up promotional cards for you to pass out to your classmates.
~You get one referral and your real senior portrait session is free.
~Each additional referral earns you a $30 print credit to be applied to your portrait order.
~You will receive other gifts & discounts based on your number of referrals.
Easy work with potentially huge benefits. Send me an email if you are interested or have a son/daughter who would be interested. Send your inquiries to: alicia@baybreezephoto.com or you may use the contact form on my website.

Back to proofing! Next time I post I'll have some new work to share!

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY! IT'S YOUR GIFT!

2007-03-01T00:41:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to me!! :) So, I was trying to think of a fun contest to run today in honor of my big day. All I could come up with was guess my age, but that could become pretty depressing real fast, so I nixed that one. Instead I am going to make this REALLY easy for you! All you have to do is send me an email today wishing me a happy birthday and you will get a gift at your next session. Here are the rules, so there is no confusion:
~You must email me by midnight tonight (March 1, 2007)
~My email address is alicia@baybreezephoto.com or you may use the contact form on my website. I will NOT be answering the phone. I gave myself the day off! :) So emails only please.
~Offer is good for new clients as well as current clients
~Session must take place by October 1, 2007 in order to receive your gift. (You need not book today).
~I will make up one gift for each email I receive and wrap them all. At your session you will choose your gift.
~They will have no cash value and may not be traded or exchanged for other prints or products. (It is a present after all)! So what you choose is what you get.
~Gifts will range from sets of wallets to a free session. I promise they will be really good gifts!!
~Share this with as many people as you'd like. There are no limits to the number of gifts I will give.

Feel free to get creative with your birthday wishes. I'm very easily amused! :) I hope you all have a wonderful day! I plan to!!

Just about that time!

2007-02-22T23:48:00.000-05:00

So one more week and I am officially back in business! I hope you all are excited about your upcoming sessions as I am!

Couple of things. I have been working on a newer, prettier :) information packet, and they are printing out as we speak. So if you've booked a session and have been patiently waiting for your packet, it will be on its way very soon.

May is almost completely booked. As my schedule stands right now, I only have one more session still available in May. Just letting you know if you are thinking about a nice spring session, you might want to get in touch with me soon!

Hey Dads-I still have some sessions open in March and April! Be a super hero and surprise her with portraits or beautiful, sterling silver photo jewelry for Mother's Day!

See you all very soon!!!

Getting back into the swing...

2007-01-29T01:17:00.000-05:00

I had the chance to photograph my cousin's little boy for his first birthday portraits. I thought this would be a great way to keep from getting too rusty while giving my kids a break from the camera. We did a little mini session and the results make me smile! The first time I got this little man in front of my camera he was one day old. I can't believe he's one year old already! Big smooches little man! Happy First Birthday!

Welcome to our new blog!

2007-01-23T23:16:00.000-05:00

Rather than bother you with email newsletters every time I have something to share, I thought I'd give this a try. I'll be posting news, special offers and even some sneak peeks at recent sessions here, so check back regularly so you don't miss a thing!

I'll be back to work soon! If you want to book a session, you can contact me any time beginning February 1st. The first session dates available will be Saturdays in March.